ORTISEI, October 7, 2017

For the first time in three years a local player won a match in the qualifying of the €64,000 Sparkasse Challenger Val Gardena, when unranked Erwin Troebinger fought past Ivan Davydov of Russia 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 on Saturday afternoon at the Tennis Club Ortisei.

The 21-year-old from Wolkenstein won 85 per cent of his first service points and broke serve three times to prevail after one hour and 41 minutes. Troebinger will next take on Spaniard David Vega Hernandez, who beat Adelchi Virgili of Italy 6-1, 6-4.

Andrea Arnaboldi, top seed of the qualifying, had to fight hard to advance into the second round. The World No. 216 from Milan fired 10 aces to defeat fellow Italian Augusto Virgili 6-7, 6-2, 6-2 in one hour and 44 minutes. Next up for Arnaboldi will be Tom Kocevar-Desman of Slovenia.